For Earth Day, Wayne Alldredge gave a talk at the Orange County Association of Realtors on new developments in residential code, solar plus storage systems, and the new residential energy tariffs. As solar mandates become more prevalent in California, it’s critical for developers and general contractors to be aware of how to prepare for the upcoming code changes and other similar green building measures of this nature. Topics included: 
- An over view of residential green codes (particularly CALGreen for new construction and additions & alterations) as well as information on how general contractors will have to comply
- Certification programs such as LEED, ENERGY STAR, and DOE’s “Home Energy Score”
- The “duck curve”, changes in residential electric rates moving to time-of-use (TOU), and how Solar + Storage can help home owners overcome the increased costs.
Green building education is vital to understanding the effect of our actions on the world and how we can protect the environment, promote human health, and save energy simultaneously through smarter building practices. It may seem frustrating and unnecessary, but the direct benefit of sustainable design is keeping you within your budget: when excising waste from your buildings and the energy-consuming systems serving them, the long term cost benefits are unquestionable. At the same time, California jurisdictions also see the benefits and are increasingly cracking down on unsustainable practices by pushing for more efficient construction methods and quality control with every code cycle.
For information on how to best handle your green building needs, contact Moe Fakih at VCA Green below:
Moe Fakih, Principal
714-363-4700
mfakih@vca-green.com
Contributing Writer: Wayne Alldredge, Associate Director of O&M, Energy, & Commissioning Services at VCA Green